‘It’s just been growth on growth’: Record numbers at Townsville Airport
Townsville Airport has chalked up a record month for passenger numbers, driven by limited and expensive international options.
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Townsville Airport has recorded its second busiest month on record.
With new Bonza airline flights, massive defence force exercises and Australians favouring domestic rather than international travel, 161,774 passengers went through the airport in July.
That figure is up nine per cent on July 2022.
“It’s just been growth on growth and good months,” airport general manager Brendan Cook said.
Multi-country military exercise Talisman Sabre brought about 2000 passengers through charters, and more than 4000 defence personnel flew commercial as well, Mr Cook said.
The July passenger figure was just 57 shy of the busiest ever month: July 2018. Since January, 958,266 people have travelled through Townsville Airport, up about 20 per cent on the same time last year.
“This has been an unusual year of passenger modes. Usually we see it quiet down in January and February; we didn’t see that issue, there’s still strong demand for domestic travel,” Mr Cook said.
A Townsville Enterprise tourism campaign also bolstered passenger numbers, he said.
“I think the success of that Up for Unexpected campaign is showing that a good targeted campaign can draw tourism into the region from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and further afield like we’re seeing now.”
Lots of passengers means plenty of beers, burgers and T-shirts being sold at the airport.
Airport Retail Enterprises general manager Rebecca Stengel said the food outlets had been full at times and extra staff were brought on.
“We’ve definitely seen an increase in our sales. Although right now (on Tuesday morning) it’s quiet, it’s been packed and at times we haven’t seen that.”
In the two cafes and the bar, the airport has hired five extra staff in recent months.
One blip on the radar has been Bonza recently cancelling the Wednesday flight to Rockhampton.
However, Mr Cook said the Townsville to Sunshine Coast Bonza flights and the Monday and Friday Rockhampton flights were still popular.
Mr Cook expected strong passenger numbers to continue until about October when the summer-like heat started in North Queensland.
The cost and low availability of international flights were however keeping Aussies from venturing overseas, he said.
“It’s not as easy to travel overseas as it has been in the past … not as much capacity, not as many flights, more expensive than it was in the past.”
But once people arrive in the north, many of them end up end up in a long queue at the Townsville Airport taxi rank.
Mr Cook said there had been a run of issues and delays with the taxi stand in the past few months, but he was not aware of any issues at the moment, and delays often came down to taxi driver availability.
The airport shuttle to the city was popular though, he said.
“It gets used a lot. Can it be used more? Absolutely.”
Originally published as ‘It’s just been growth on growth’: Record numbers at Townsville Airport
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